Whether you are looking for a career change, looking for a little extra cash, or want to change things up a bit, if you own your car, van, or truck, you’re in luck.
Now more than ever there are more opportunities to earn a substantial income by driving. From delivery services and advertising to ridesharing and hauling larger goods, you can find the right job for you, your skill level, and your vehicle. To make it easier for you to choose your next move, here’s a list of seven fast ways to make extra money from your car, van, or truck.
Drive for a Rideshare
If you enjoy being your own boss and making your hours, driving for a rideshare company is an excellent route to make money from your vehicle. It is fairly easy to take people from Point A to Point B with the built-in GPS in the rideshare company’s app. However, you do need to pass a background check, have a valid driver’s license, current car insurance, as well as meet the vehicle requirements (ex. year, safety, number of doors, etc.). Some of the most popular rideshare apps to work for are: Uber, Lift, and/or Wingz. Rideshare drivers suggest opting for your most fuel-efficient vehicle as well as the one with the most passenger space. Great additions that help with your gratuities are cell phone chargers, hand sanitizer, waste basket, travel maps, restaurant tips, and good music. Be warned: not all riders are alike. Make sure you look at the reviews of your riders and do your best to review your riders afterward for other drivers.
Rent it Out When Not Using
If there are days, weekends, or weeks when you don’t use your vehicle, why not let someone else rent it from you? Now more than ever, people are looking to sites like Turo and Getaround. Both are like Airbnb for vehicles. This is especially effective if you are in a popular tourist destination or a metro area with many business travelers. Renting out your car can be a way to make additional income or a way to start your own small business. Plus, you don’t have to commit to long-term with Turo or Getaround. If you only want to rent your car out for the summer months, you have complete control over your rental calendar.
Deliver Take-out
The days of delivering only pizza are just about gone. Now with delivery apps that deliver take-out from multiple restaurants, you can make extra cash from your vehicle by applying to drive for DoorDash, Uber Eats, and GrubHub. Over the last year with in-restaurant dining limited, these delivery services not only kept restaurants in business but also delivery app drivers. The trend of more and more delivery items is only going to continue to grow. Delivery is not limited to only food.
Deliver Other Goods
Using your vehicle for the delivery of take-out is only one way to make money from your car, truck, or van. There are many options. Many people like to order groceries online and have them delivered through Instacart. Other people prefer to use their personal vehicles to work for Amazon Flex. When delivering more than take-out or groceries, the pros recommend a big van and/or truck. Additionally, the smell of delivery food can sometimes taint your personal vehicle. Make sure to invest in a great air freshener as well as a habit of airing out your vehicle post-delivery.
Get Your CDL
Many people get hooked to the freedom of the open road after a short time delivering goods. However, if you want to haul large items (ex. shipping containers, cars, etc.) and make more money, you will need two things. The first is you will need to get your Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). You can find out how to obtain your CDL here. Secondly, you would need to trade in your standard truck or van for a heavy haul truck. If you are looking for the best in class heavy haul truck, click here. By the way, if you like to travel, driving semi-trucks is a great way to see the country while making money as you go.
Help People Move
Everyone needs a little help when moving from one home to another or even from one office to another. You don’t need a semi-truck to help move either. You can use your personal car, van, or truck to assist others in moving. You can find opportunities from sites like TaskRabbit. You can even post your services on community-based Nextdoor. Depending on how connected you are on Facebook groups and pages in the area, you can advertise your services there as well. You can make extra money by helping your neighbors out. That’s a win-win.
Wrap Your Car
If you live in a highly populated area, your car can be a billboard. This is especially true if you commute to work on a highly trafficked highway or if you park in a prime location. You may not have thought of it before, but you can wrap your car with an advertisement for additional money. Both Carvertise and Wrapify, match cars and drivers with the right brands. However, you do need to meet the vehicle requirements (ex. age, condition, etc.).
If you have been toying with taking control of your finances and perhaps starting a business of your own, now is the time. Owners of vehicles have more options now than ever before to make their own schedules and make money. Depending on where you live, how many hours you want to work, or how many services you want to offer with your vehicle, you can make extra money with a side hustle or a yearly income like a full-time office job. There is something to be said about having your property make money for you. If you don’t choose to rent your vehicle, wrap it, or drive it yourself delivering services, you are leaving good money on the table. Good luck in your new business endeavors!
Thanks for reading and y’all stay dandy.
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